Update from the Ministry of Health
- Jun 10
- 4 min read
Kia ora koutou As Acting Director-General of Health while Audrey Sonerson is away, I want to take this opportunity to update you on a number of areas of focus for the Ministry. At the heart of this work is a shared goal - supporting New Zealanders to live longer, healthier lives. |  Ruth IssacActing Director-General of Health |
Budget 2026
The Vote Health package announced in Budget 2026 last week provides more than:
$5.8 billion in new operating funding across the forecast period, including a $1.37 billion annual boost to help Health New Zealand support growing demand across the health system, and
$680 million of new capital spending for priority initiatives that support the next stage of the ten-year Health Infrastructure Plan.
The total Vote Health funding of $33.031 billion in 2026/27 funds services, workforce and infrastructure to keep New Zealanders healthy - from hospitals and GP visits to medicines, public health programmes and system oversight.
Targeted initiatives in Budget 2026 include:
establishing a nationally coordinated specialist paediatric palliative care service
lowering the eligibility age for the National Bowel Screening Programme to 56
funding to give mothers the option of staying up to three days at a hospital or primary maternity unit following birth
investing in high-priority initiatives for road ambulance services to support effective delivery and increased capacity
strengthening digital services to ensure increased security for patient information and to safeguard the health system from cyber threats. This sits alongside investment by Health New Zealand in priority digital projects through the Health Digital Investment Plan.
Health infrastructure initiatives funded in Budget 2026 include a new 158-bed ward tower at Whangārei Hospital, land acquisition for a new hospital south of Auckland, and early design and enabling work at regional hospitals in Tauranga, Hawke’s Bay and Palmerston North.
You can find the full list of initiatives on the Ministry of Health website.
Manage My Health Cyber Security Review
On Wednesday 27 May, the Ministry of Health, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, and Health New Zealand jointly issued three reports examining the recent cyber security breach involving the Manage My Health patient portal platform. The incident affected more than 99,000 registered users across New Zealand, most of whom live in the Northland region.
New Zealanders rightly expect their health information to be protected, and the reviews highlight clear areas where things need to improve.
The Ministry of Health and Health New Zealand are already taking action, including:
working with Manage My Health to get independent assurance of security improvements
strengthening expectations for suppliers holding sensitive health information
reviewing how the Health Information Security Framework is applied and monitored
establishing clearer roles and processes for patient notification during cyber incidents
undertaking a desktop review of other major patient portals and developing a system wide action plan.
The Ministry will continue to work with Health New Zealand, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner, and sector partners to implement the recommendations from the three reviews and will provide updates as this work progresses.
Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2026-2036 Consultation on the draft Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy closed on 18 May 2026. At the heart of the draft Strategy is a clear ambition, that, ‘All New Zealanders are supported in the ways they need to thrive and experience positive mental health and wellbeing alongside positive physical health’. |
We received 400 submissions from across the sector, community organisations and others with an interest in shaping the long-term direction for mental health and addiction services. Additionally, we held 24 online and 8 face-to-face hui - with approximately 450 people taking part. Thank you to everyone who took the time to contribute and share your views. |  |
Your feedback will be important as we finalise the Strategy and develop an initial three-year implementation plan.
The final package will be considered by Cabinet ahead of publication and launch later this year.
You can find more information about the draft Strategy on the Ministry of Health website.
Nitrous oxide update The Government has announced tighter controls on nitrous oxide to reduce the risk of harm from misuse. These changes will come into effect on 5 June and respond to growing concern about availability and misuse - particularly the use of larger canisters, which carry a higher risk. Following the changes, all importers must have approval from the Director-General of Health to bring nitrous oxide into New Zealand. |
Medsafe, on behalf of the Director-General, may issue a permit if it is satisfied that: · the nitrous oxide is intended for a lawful use · the importer will take reasonable steps to avoid the nitrous oxide being diverted to unlawful use. |  |
This will help ensure legitimate supply can continue, while reducing the risk of diversion for recreational use.
This has been a cross-agency effort, and I want to thank our colleagues in Police and Customs and other agencies for the role they’ve played in making this happen.
Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Amendment Bill
On 18 May, the Government introduced the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Amendment Bill. The Bill amends the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003.
The Amendment Bill is about making sure the rules for health professionals better support patient needs and the wider health system.
Key changes proposed are:
increased powers for the Minister of Health to direct workforce regulators, to ensure they are making decisions that benefit patients and the health system
greater transparency and accountability of regulators, including new planning and reporting requirements
setting up a streamlined process for reviewing decisions made by regulators about a practitioner’s registration.
You can find out more about the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act on the Ministry of Health website.
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Ministry of Health - Manatū Hauora
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